Ukraine Conflict: DPR Defense Ministry Dismisses US Accusation Of Militia Attack In Mariupol

There was no militia attack in northern and eastern parts of Mariupol, the Defense Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic claimed. Some U.S. media reports earlier suggested a militia attack in the eastern Ukrainian city.

A ministry spokesman said that the DPR troops were not launching any attacks as they were at their positions. “By far-fetched accusations, the official is trying to divert the public’s attention from preparation of aggression by the Ukrainian army, as well as justify the blame of the Kiev regime for massive shelling of the DPR inhabited localities in which women, children and old people are killed," Russia's Tass news agency quoted the spokesman as saying.

The defense ministry added the militia would not react to any provocation from Ukraine. He said that it would completely abide by the Minsk Agreements. According to Russian media reports, Ukraine has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, which was part of the September 2014 agreements.

The U.S. State Department earlier said there were militia attacks in the eastern and the northern parts of Mariupol. It also said that Kiev violated the Donbas ceasefire to defend itself.

According to the official statement from the DPR Defense Ministry Monday, the Donbas situation has become critical. Five civilians were killed and 14 injured in the overnight shelling by the Ukrainian army into the republic’s territory, the ministry claimed.

ABC reported that 10 people had been killed in eastern Ukraine in the fight between pro-Russian rebels and government forces. According to military sources, at least two soldiers from the Ukrainian army were killed. This is believed to be the highest death toll on a single day for more than a month.